Spring resistant type exercising device

ABSTRACT

An exercising device comprises a rod having handgrips fixed at each end and a pair of intermediate handgrips slidable on the rod. Each of the handles has substantially the same external configuration. Coil compression springs are disposed between one of the fixed handgrips and the adjacent slidable handgrip, and between the two slidable handgrips. By the selection of handgrips, the user can exert compressive force against one or both springs, or tensile force against one or both springs. Two different spring strengths in each direction are thus available and when the springs themselves are of different strengths, then three different spring strengths are available in each direction.

Buchner 1 Sept. 25', 1973 SPRING RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Norman E. Buchner, 2714 S.

Florence Dr., Tulsa, Okla. 741 14 {22] Filed: Sept. 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 76,542

2] US. Cl. 272/83 R, 272/D1G. 4 1] Int. Cl A63!) 21/00 8] Field of Search 272/83 R, 82, 79 R,

272/DIG. 2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,544,106 12/1970 Barrett ..272/83R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12/1899 Great Britain 272/83 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney-Dunlap, Laney, Hessin & Dougherty 57] ABSTRACT An exercising device comprises a rod having handgrips fixed at each end and a pair of intermediate handgrips slidable on the rod. Each of the handles has substantially the same external configuration. Coil compression springs are disposed between one of the fixed handgrips and the adjacent slidable handgrip, and between the two slidable handgrip s. By the selection of handgrips, the user can exert compressive force against one or both springs, or tensile force against one or both springs. Two different spring strengths in each direction are thus available and when the springs themselves are of different strengths, then three different spring strengths are available in each direction.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDSEPBBIQH 3.761.083

INVENTOR. Norman 15. Buck/2e! Ybung Thompson ATTORNEYS SPRING RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE The present invention relates to exercising devices, more particularly of the type in which the arms and chest are exercised by exerting pressure against spring devices. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercising device which affords maximum opportunity to exercise the arms and adjacent portions of the body in a maximum number of different ways.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of such an exercising device, which will be relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, simple to operate, and rugged and durable in use. 1

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: a

FIG. 1 is a view of an exercising device according to the present invention, in its rest position;

FIG. 2 is a view of the exercising device being used above the head, to perform a compressive-type exercise with minimum spring resistance;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the same exercise performed with maximum spring resistance;

FIG. 4 is a view'of the exercising device of the present invention held in front of the user for performing a tensile exercise with minimum spring resistance;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the exercise performed with maximum resistance; and

FIGS. 6 and 7. are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, but showing the exercises performed above the head of the user.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown an exercising device according to the present invention, generally indicated at 1, and comprising an elongated rigid rod 3 to the opposite ends of which are fixedly secured handgrips 5 and 7. It is to be noted that these handgrips and the other handgrips of the device are of a conventional type, of an axial extent affording room to be firmly gripped by the user, with'flanges at their ends for preventing the hands of the user from slipping off the handgrips. It will also be understood that the handgrips, instead of being flanged, can be provided with individual finger recesses, or can be covered with high friction material, or can be formed in any of the conventional ways in which handgrips for exercising devices are formed.

Slidably mounted on rod 3 are intermediate handgrips 9 and 11 which may be identical in structure to handgrips 5 and 7 except that they are slidably disposed on rod 3 instead of fixedly disposed on rod 3. Handgrip 9 occupies an intermediate position between grips 5 and 7; while grip 11 is in contact with grip 7 in the unstressed position of the device as shown in FIG. 1.

Coil compression springs 13 and 15 also encircle rod 3. Springs 13 and 15 are preferably freely slidably disposed on rod 3 for axial sliding movement thereon; however, it is possible to fix the end of spring 13 to handgrip 5, as no exercise contemplated by the present invention requires the adjacent end of spring 13 to move away from handgrip 5. Similarly, it is possible to secure the adjacent end of spring 15 to handgrip 1 l, as no exercise contemplated by this invention requires handgrip 11 and spring 15 to move away from each other.

In use, rod 3 is preferably held horizontal but may be positioned at any desired level in front of, above or behind the user. The user will grasp two of the handgrips and will then attempt to force them together against the action of the spring or springs between his hands, or will attempt to force them apart against the action of the spring or springs that are disposed outwardly of the portion of the rod that is between his hands. For example: to compress only the spring 13 with a compressivetype exercise, the rod 3 may be held above the head with the user gripping the handgrips 5 and 9 and attempting to force them together. This is the FIG. 2 position. To make the exercise less difficult, handgrips 5 and 11 may be grasped and the same compressive force applied. This is the FIG. 3 position. To perform a tension-type exercise, the rod may be positioned as in FIG. 4, held in front of the user by the handgrips 7 and 9 which the user attempts to force apart against the action of the spring 13. To make this latter exercise less difficult, the handgrips 7 and 11 are grasped and an attempt is made to force them apart," against the resistance of both of springs 13 and 15. This is the FIG. 5 position. FIGS. 6 and 7 show that the principle of operation of the device as in FIGS. 4 and 5 is independent of the position in which the device is held by the user. In a preferred embodiment, the springs 13 and 15 are of different strengths, that is, they'offer substantially different resistance to compression. Let it be assumed that spring 13 is the relatively weak spring and spring 15 is the relatively. strong spring. There are then three degrees of resistance against which theuser can work: the medium resistance, which is the force of spring 13 alone; the rnaximum resistance, which is the force of spring 15 alone; and the minimum resistance, which is the combined force of springs 13 and 15.

Thus, in the preferred embodiment, in which springs 13 and 15 are of different strengths with, for example, spring 13 weaker than spring 15, the intermediate compressive exercise is as shown in FIG. 2, in which handgrips 5 and 9 are grasped and forced together. The maximum compressive exercise, not shown, is when 7 handgrip 9 is grasped and either one of handgrips 7 or 1 l is grasped and it is attempted to compress spring 15 alone. The minimum compressive exercise is as shown in FIG. 3, in which handgrips 5 and 11 are grasped and an attempt is made to force, them together.

To perform the corresponding tensile-type exercises with the-preferred embodiment in. which, for example, spring 13 is the relatively weak spring and spring 15 is the relatively strong spring, the intermediate resistance is encountered when handgrip. 9 and either one of handgrips 7 and 11 is grasped and the hands are attemptedly moved apart against the action of spring 13 alone as in FIGS. 4 and 6. The maximum resistance tensile exercise (not shown) is performed when handgrips 5 and 9 are graspedand an attempt is made to move them apart against the action of spring 15 alone. The minimum resistance is encountered, in a tensile-type exercise, when handgrips 7 and 11 are grasped and an attempt is made to move them apart, as in FIGS. 5 and 7.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, therefore, it will be evident that all of the initiallyrecited objects of the present invention. have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, 1 claim: I. An exercising device comprising: a rod having opposite ends; a first handgrip fixedly secured to one end of said rod; a second handgrip fixedly secured to the opposite end of said rod; first movable handgrip means slidably disposed on said rod for movement thereon intermediate said first and second handgrips; second movable handgrip means slidably disposed on said rod intermediate said first movable handgrip means and said second handgrip for movement by a user into abutting relationship with said second handgrip during an exercise program;

said first and second movable handgrip means being substantially similar in external configuration to the external configuration of said first and second handgrips;

first compression spring means mounted on said rod intermediate said first handgrip and said first movable handgrip means for urging said first movable handgrip means away from said first handgrip along said rod; and

second compression spring means mounted on said I rod intermediate said first movable handgrip means and said second movable handgrip means for urging said first movable handgrip means toward said first handgrip along said rod against the urging of said first compression spring means, and for urging said second movable handgrip means along said rod toward and into abutting relationship with said second handgrip.

2. An exercising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second compression spring means are of different compression strengths. 

1. An exercising device comprising: a rod having opposite ends; a first handgrip fixedly secured to one end of said rod; a second handgrip fixedly secured to the opposite end of said rod; first movable handgrip means slidably disposed on said rod for movement thereon intermediate said first and second handgrips; second movable handgrip means slidably disposed on said rod intermediate said first movable handgrip means and said second handgrip for movement by a user into abutting relationship with said second handgrip during an exercise program; said first and second movable handgrip means being substantially similar in external configuration to the external configuration of said first and second handgrips; first compression spring means mounted on said rod intermediate said first handgrip and said first movable handgrip means for urging said first movable handgrip means away from said first handgrip along said rod; and second compression spring means mounted on said rod intermediate said first movable handgrip means and said second movable handgrip means for urging said first movable handgrip means toward said first handgrip along said rod against the urging of said first compression spring means, and for urging said second movable handgrip means along said rod toward and into abutting relationship with said second handgrip.
 2. An exercising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second compression spring means are of different compression strengths. 